The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-02
RAPID PENMEN.
Why Telegraph Operators Are the Fastest
Writer'S in the World.

Why Telegraph Operators Are the Fastest
Writers in the World.
Philadelphia News.
Telegraph operators, taken altogether can
probably write faster than any other class of
men who use the pen 1t is also true that the
telegraph operators of America are much faster
and in every way better than those of England
or any OF the continental countries This is
probably due to the fact that in England the
telegraph is conducted by tho government and
there is little competition or inducsment of any
kind to lead the operators to impre se or excel
In America IL Is just the reverse The salary
is IN accordance with the work of the emplove
and frst-class man need never be without work
at good pay.
Before an operator can secure a berth in any
hrstclass Office he must be able to take" on a
test at an average rate of sending, and make a
clean copy of the message. A single glance st
whether the applicant is an old oper-
ator or not, for there is a
regularity about the penmanship of
telesraphsrs that is unmstakable. From neces-
sity there Is very little flourish in the writing
and the pen is pulled rather than pushed over
the paper. and is very seldom lifted from the
page. That accounts for the frequency with
which different words in messages are connected
by hair lines Very often an entire line Is writ
ten without the pen leaving the paper.
IN tell you how it is that telegraphers become
fast penmen," said an expert operatok sit is not
because they are any quicker iE moving their
myers than other penmen, but because they
must keep up with the instrument from which
they are receiving Operators will not '.break"
o sender If they can possibly help it, and
they keep their pens moving as rapidly
as possible In order to avoid breaking Very
few telegraphers can follow more than five
words behind the instruments and the
majority cannot drop three words behind and
not make bull of 1t. Since they must keen I'D
they do their best. and the result is they inn
prove in speed. Another fact: Operators can
q FMS vphA tk,nv- -
ing as when they are following the instrument
There are many telegraphers who can make
legible copy at the rate of forty-fve or even
forty eight words minute while receiving
who could not put forty words on paper at other
times.
One OF the operators who used to work at
Tenth and Chestnut made a wager of an OYSTER
supper Tor dozen men, several years ago. with
reporter. that he could write legibly five
words more minute for three minutes than the
reporter who was q fast penman. The re-
porter succeeded IN getting down ia words
in three minutes. q friend reading to him
from newspaper article. The average was
just thirty-eigh words. The operator then in
vited the party to . telegraph Office and got one
OF the fast men there to send for him. taking
the same article from which the reporter had
written. The operator copied forty six words
the 6rst minute. forty-f -four the second and
forty five the third. winning with ease He then
tried TO do the same, having man to read for
him, and only averaged forty words.
During the great Boston fire an operator in
New York received 248 messages between 7
o'clock and noon, and sent PIG during the after
noon OF the same'd day. The messages including
the addresses. signatures, date lines
and Checks averaged thirty words
Thus. during the five hours he
was welding the pen, he copied over 800 words
or l,oeO words hour There are a dozen op-
orators In Philadelphia who could beat even
that, II they were called anon to do it. These
men would probably not break the sender once
In an hour II the latter good operator.
and. when through. 1t is doubtful if they would
renember word they had penned. The oper-
ator Is simply machine The sound of the in
strument enters hio ears and runs out his arm
10 the nib OF his pen to the paper. The writing
becomes almost involuntary
While there is q great similarity in the pen
manship OF the telegraphers, there is. to good
operators, as much difference in sending as
there is in the voice. They can distinguish the
sender az plainly by the manner he uses the Ike v
hundred miles distant they could an init
mate friend speaking in the next room.n